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'2 Sheets Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. D. MARKS. ELECTRIC METER.

No. 595,325. Patented Dec. 14,1897.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. D. MARKS.

ELECTRIC METER.

No. 595,325. Patented Dec 14, 1897 UNITED STATES. PATENT QFFICE.

IVILLIAM D. MARKS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE AMERICAN ELECTRIC METER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,325, dated December 14, 1897.

Application filed September 10, 1897. Serial No. 651,219. (No model.)

To ztZZ whom it may concern: lum H, which is provided with a core or ar- Be it known that I, \VILLIAM D. MARKS, a mature h, actuated by the coil 1. citizen of the United States, residing at Phila- The circuit-controller comprises an arm J,

delphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of pivoted eccentrically to the cam G and carry- Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new ing a contact-pin J, which makes contact 55 and useful Improvement in Electric Meters, with a plate K, carried either by the arm of of which the following is a specification. cam G or by aseparate support mounted on This invention relates to the circuit-conthe arbor of the pendulum. The arm J is troller for the oscillating electric motor of overbalanced by an adjustable weight J electric meters of the character shown in Let- L is a guard of insulating material secured 6o ters Patent No. 571,032, issued November 10, to the arm of cam G or to the support for plate 1896; and the main object of my invention is K when a separate support is employed. This to insure a more perfect and uniform contact guard has an opening into which the pin J at the circuit-controller than was heretofore projects.

obtained. The position of the parts in Fig. 1 represent I have found that when a number of meters the meter at rest-that is, the pin J and plate of the character referred to were set up and K are in contact, but the circuit in which the operated the oscillations of the pendulums meter is located is open. When the cirvaried to a considerable extent, owing to the cuit to the meter is closed and current passes 20 fact that the contacts of the circuit-controlthrough coil I, the pendulum swings first tolers did not all make perfect and uniform conward the coil, causing the cam G to swing to tact, resulting in incorrect registration. I the right, which through the engagement of have obviated this dificulty by providing a contact-plate K and pin J moves arm J also device which will insure the contact-pins of to the right. As the arm J is carried over its 25 the overbalanced circuit-controllers making center of gravityit topples overindependently contact with the contact-plate carried by the of the movement of the cam G or the part pendulum or other member at a uniform point carrying the contact-plate K, thus removing and produce a good rubbing contact, thereby the pin J from contact with plate K and openmaintaining clean contact-surfaces. Several ing the circuit to coilI. On the return orback- 30 forms of such devices have been devised by ward swing of the pendulum (during which me, some of which are illustrated in the acthe cam G actuates the register-lever E) the companying drawings, in whichguardLmoves with the cam to theleft and car- Figure 1 is a general elevation indicating ries the armJ also to the left, the pin J" during the essential parts of the meter and one of the this movement working down the right-hand 35 preferred forms of my contact-controller, edge of the guard. hen the cam and guard which is the term I will use in referring to are near their central positions, the arm J my device for insuring perfect and uniform will be again carried over its center of gravity contact at the circuit-controller. Fig. 2 is an and caused to topple over to the left; but in enlargedview of the contact-controller shown this position of the cam and guard the pin J 0 in Fig. 1; and Figs. 3 to 9, inclusive, illuswill strike against the left-hand edge of the trate modified forms. guard below the contact-plate K, due to the Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, A inarm being pivoted eccentrically to the cam. dicates the coil of the ampere-indicator; B, As the cam and guard continue to move to the core, which actuates the pointer C and the left the pin J moves-upward on theleft 45 the controlling cam or arch D. The arch D edge of the guard, and when the cam and 5 controls the position of the driving-lever E, guard reach the position of Fig. 1 the pin J which carries the pawl e, engaging with the will be in contact with plate K and the circuit first wheel F of the register. Lever E is acto coil I will be again closed. The circuit is tuated by the oscillating cam G, secured to held closed until the arm J topples over again 50 the arbor of the oscillating motor or penduto the right, as above stated. Thus it will be seen that the motor-circuit is closed for a short period during the last half of each forward swing of the pendulum, causing a slight impulse to be imparted to the pendulum at regular intervals and of equal duration, thus maintaining a uniform rate of oscillation. In practice, however, I have found that the regularity and duration of contact at the circuit-controller is apt to vary, due to unclean contact-surfaces, vibration, or other causes. To .obviate this difficulty, I provide the contact-controller.

The form of contact-controller shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is substantially an L-shaped metal plate M. The arm m is provided with a hole for a pivot-pin by which the plate is pivoted to the cam G, as seen in Fig. 1. The long arm of the plate has a finger m, which bears against the inner side of the arm of cam G. Below finger m is an oblique flange m projecting outward at right angles to the plate. This flange is normally held against contact-plate K by a spring m Fig. 1, fiXed in a slot in the underside of can] G and whose free end bears against the flange m projecting from the long arm of the plate M. The flange m is designed to engage contact-pin J and force it against the contact-plate to produce a good rubbing contact when the pin moves upward on plate K. As contact-pin J clears the upper edge of the oblique flange m the arm J is free to fall over to the left, as above described.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the contact-controller is secured to the free end of spring m instead of being pivoted to the cam. In this form I provide a finger m and oblique flange m as in the form shown in Fig. 2, and I also provide an arm 00, which bears against the hub of cam G for limiting the movement of flange m toward the contactplate K, although this arm is not essential.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I show a spring S, bent, as shown in Fig. 4, (which gives an edge view of the spring,) to form an oblique flange m for forcing the contact-pin J against plate K. Spring S also has a bend at right angles,

as seen in the face view, Fig. 5, to afford a clearance for pin J and permit it to topple over, as above described.

The form shown in Figs. 6 and '7 is preferred when it is desirable to make the contact-plate K and contact-controller readily removable for repair or inspection. In this form a separate arm N is provided for cooperating with the circuit-controller. This arm is designed to be secured to the arbor of pendulum H in front of the cam G. The arm is cut away, as shown by dotted line 97. n, and a head 0 is fitted to the arm and secured by a screw 0, passing through flange 0 into the upper end of arm N. The end of the downwardly-extending arm 0 of head 0 is beveled, as shown, so as to fit the out n. Contactplate K is secured to arm 0. P is a plate pivoted at p to head 0, and this plate at the lower end is provided with a block 19, having a beveled surface m Fig. 6, which performs the same function as the oblique flange m of the constructions shown in Figs. 2,3, and 4. At the top plate P has a finger 19 against which bears the spring m which forces block 19 against contact K. To remove contactplate K and the contact-controller, it is only necessary to remove screw 0, when the entire device maybe removed from the supportingarm N.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown another form of contact-controller mounted upon a separate supporting-arm N. In this form the spring m is secured at its upper end to a plate Q, which is secured upon the upper end of arm N. The lower end of spring m is bent outwardly and has secured to it a plate m which corresponds to the oblique flange m of the form shown in Figs 2 to 5, inclusive. Spring m is also provided with a finger m, which bears against the inner side of supporting-arm N.

The guard L in each form has a clearance at the edge adjacent to the contact-plate K, in order to permit good contact between plate K and pin J.

From the foregoing it will be seen that contact-pin J will be forced into contact with plate K at a uniform point, and the pressure of the spring will produce a good rubbing contact, which will also result in clear and bright contact-surfaces.

What I claim is- 1. In an electric meter, the combination with an oscillating electric motor or pendulum and an oscillator actuated thereby for driving a register, of a circuit-controller for periodically opening and closing the motor-circuit, comprising a contact-plate carried by the oscillator, a second contact pivoted to a stationary support eccentrically to the oscillator and capable of movement independently of the oscillator,and an insulating-guard on said oscillator for limiting the movement of said pivoted contact, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an electric meter, the combination with an oscillating electric motor or pendulum and a pivoted driving device for operating a register, of a circuit-controller for periodically opening and closing the motor-circuit, comprising a contact-plate carried by the driving device, a second contact carried by an overbalanced arm pivoted to a stationary support eccentrically to the driving device and capable of movement independently of the driving device, and an insulating-guard on said driving device for limiting the movement of said pivoted contact, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an electric meter, the combination with an oscillating electric motor or pendulum of movement of said driving device and adapted to make contact with said plate, said pin being carried by an arm pivoted to a stationary support eccentrically to the driving device and capable of movement independently of the driving device, and a guard for limiting the movement of said pivoted contact-pin, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The combination with a circuit-controller having two relatively movable contacts adapted to periodically open and close a circuit, of a device cooperating therewith for maintaining regularity and proper duration of contact at the circuit-controller, substan tially as set forth.

5. The combination with a circuit-controller having two relatively movable contacts adapted to periodically open and close a circuit, of a device held under spring-pressure cooperating with said contacts for maintaining regularity and proper duration of contact at the circuit-controller, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a circuit-controller having two relatively movable contacts adapted to periodically open and close a circuit, of a pivoted arm having a projection in the path of movement of one ofsaid contacts for forcing said contact against the other contact at a uniform point, substantially as set forth.

7 In an electric meter, the combination with an oscillating electric motor or pendulum, of a circuit-controller for periodically opening and closing the circuit, comprising a contact-plate movable with the pendulum, a second contact pivoted eccentrically to the pendulum and capable of movement independently of the pendulum to periodically open and close the circuit, and a device 00- operating With the circuit-controller for maintaining the regularity and proper duration of contact at the circuit-controller, substantially as set forth.

8. In an electric meter, the combination with an oscillating electric motor or pendulum, of a circuit-controller for periodically opening and closing the circuit, comprising a contact-plate movable with the pendulum, a second contact carried by an overbalanced arm pivoted eccentrically to the pendulum, and capable of movement independently of the pendulum to periodically open and close the circuit, and a device cooperating with the circuit-controller for maintaining the regularity and proper duration of contact at the circuit-controller, substantially as set forth.

9. In an electric meter, the combination with an oscillating electric motor or pendulum, of a circuit-controller for periodically opening and closing the circuit, comprising a contact-plate movable with the pendulum, a second contact carried by an overbalanced arm pivoted to a stationary support eccentrically to the pendulum and capable of movement independently of the pendulum to periodically open and close the circuit, an insulating-guard for limiting the movement of said pivoted contact, and a device cooperatin g with the circuit-controller for maintaining the regularity and proper duration of contact at the circuit-controller, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 8th day of September, 1897.

WVM. D. MARKS.

Witnesses:

7 CHARLES C. OANFIELD,

JOSHUA GRIFFITHS. 

